Automatic valve closing device for oil burners



Dec. 24,1940. R siLvA 2,226,210

AUTOMATIC VALVE CLOSING DEVICE FOR OIL BURNERS Original Filed April 5, 1937 f v l I l l l INVFNTOR A TTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 24, 1940 A, NITE STATES b FIC This application is a division of one filed by me on April 5, 1937,Serial No. 135,159 for an Oil burner.,

This invention relates to means for automati- 5 cally shutting off the supply of liquid fuel to a burner in the event of an emergency such as an explosion or uncontrolled fire.

The principal object of my invention is to provide simple means that becomes operative within .0 a relatively wide rangeof space to immediately closea supply control valve should an unexpected fire or explosion occur in a place such as a stove firebox or the pit below it near an oil burner.

Another object is to provide such means, the parts of which are relatively inexpensive, that is simple to install in a stove or the like and connect with a valve outside the stove controlling the supply of fuel.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of an oil burner in a stove and a means of supply for the burner outside the stove, showing my valve closing device connected to said stove and supply means and holding the supply valve open; but 25 ready to drop the closure member of said valve to closed position should a fire make my valve closing device operative.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary detail view, partly in section, of the oil supply means and valve control mechanism which my device operates upon.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the reference numeral l0 generally designates a stove range or the like, to whichmy oil burner system may be applied. It is to be noted, however, that if so desired the oil burner system may be adapted for other heating purposes. As illustrated in Figure 1, in the usual manner within the range there are provided a pair of spaced bases I2 to which there is secured an upstanding support l4 having on the free end thereof a coupling is in which the support l8 carrying the burner 20 is inserted. The coupling member l6 has a clean,- out plug 22.

Adjacent the stove or range there is provided an upstanding support 48 to the upper end of which there is secured the reservoir 50. For the purpose of cleaning the reservoir and the like there is arranged adjacent the bottom thereof a removable plug 52. An oil pipe 54 communicating with the interior of the reservoir 50 depends from the lower portion of the reservoir and has screw-threaded thereon an elbow 56 to which the valve device {58, communicates through themedium of the conduit 60.

,Referring to Figure 2v t ere is an (511 supply 'conduit'lower member 62 which communicates with the elbowi54j being provided with a depending nipple having a cap 66 on the lower free end thereof. {In the other end of said conduit member 62 there is screw-threaded a plug 68 and, there is also a screen'lll in the inner 'end thereof providing a'filter or, cleaning means for the oil. In this connection it will be noted, that water 'or the like or other sediment: is deposited in the nipple 64 and may be conveniently removed therefrom by. the removal of the nipple from the mem- 'ber 62, .By the same token, the screen 10 may be removed with facility by; first removing the plug 68, thereby'maintaining the oil freefrom sediment and the like before the same reaches the main portion of the valve construction or the pipeline leading to the burners. Within a vertical casing ll of the valve device that communicates with'said conduit member 62 thereis provided an apertured plug 12 which is screwthreaded therein, and in said casing H there is slidable the valve closure member 14. Between the head of the valve and the inner end of the plug 1'2 there is provided a spring 16 which normally'urges the valve closure member 14 to its closed position. It will be seen, that the stem 18 of the valve closure member 14 is provided with spaced transversely extending bores therein into which there is received a pin for maintaining the valve in predetermined open position, as when attaching or repairing my automatic valve closing device. But ordinarily this pin 80 is not used as it isonly .a temporary expedient to hold the valve closure member open. To the said casing 1| there is secured the supply conduit 82 which has interposed therein a coupling member 84 to which there is secured a pipe 86 having on the free end thereof an elbow 88 in which there is screw-threaded an upstanding pipe 90. This upstanding pipe as clearly illustrated in Figure 1 has its free end bent upon itself as at 94 serving iii of enabling the supply line to be disconnected for cleaning purposes and the like. I

To maintain the said valve closure member 14 in a predetermined open position I provide a cord or filament I50 which passes through a pulley secured to the laterally extending arm I52 that is attached to the upstanding member 90. This cord or string is trained over pulleys I54 and I55 secured to the range or stove l0 and ultimately passes around and between the respective supports It. being firmly secured or tied at the free end thereof to one of the supports. Thus, the valve stem being raised to a predetermined open position, with the pin 80 removed therefrom, normally provides for a constant flow of oil from the reservoir. In the event of an explosion or the like or any other type of faulty operation effecting a fire, the flame will burn the cord intermediate the burners or passing adjacent thereto and the valve stem 18 through the medium of the spring 16 will move said closure member 14 to its closed position thereby cutting o-if the supply of oil to the burners.

By the use of a cord I50, that is severable by flame or the like and that extends almost the full length of the fire-box, should an unintended fire or explosion occur around the burners some portion of said cord I50 is almost certain to be immediately severed, thus closing the fuel supply valve and shutting off the flow of fuel to the burners without delay. Where an automatic valve closing device depends upon some small element to melt, the device does not become operative until the flame or heat reaches the particular location of the element with the result oftentimes that the fire continues to be fed with oil thereby prolonging the danger.

While there is shown for the purpose of illustration a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and it is intended, therefore, that only such limitations shall be imposed thereon, as are indicated in the prior art or in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a stove structure embodying a plurality of horizontally spaced apart oil burners with a common oil lead line to said burners and a valve controlling said lead line having means for biasing the same to a line closing position, of means for holding said valve normally open comprising a filament having a mounting adapting it to exert a pull on said valve, said filament extending into proximity to the entire horizontal extent of said burners and of a character to be disintegrated by abnormal excess heat and thus permitting said Valve to close upon the occurrence of such excess heat.

2. The combination with an oil burner stove structure embodying a plurality of horizontally spaced apart burners with a common oil supply line leading to said burners, a valve operatively fitted in said oil supply line to control the passage of oil therethrough and biased for movement to valve closing position, a cord extending from said valve in a direction such that a tension in said cord holds the valve open, said cord extending from one to another of said oil burners thereunder and in proximity thereto, said cord of a character to be disintegrated by abnormal excess heat, and so located as to be subject to such heat from any part of the horizontal area defined by such plurality of oil burners.

FRANCISCO HILARIO RIBEIRO SILVA. 

